


Coffee

by PeterStark



Series: Marked by Fate [2]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Barry Allen Needs a Hug, Barry just woke up, Coffee, I Don't Even Know, M/M, No Beta, Protective Joe West, Protective Oliver Queen, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Twice in one fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-07
Updated: 2019-12-07
Packaged: 2021-02-17 23:08:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21701221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeterStark/pseuds/PeterStark
Summary: Barry and Oliver finally get around to having coffee...twice.
Relationships: Barry Allen & Iris West, Barry Allen/Oliver Queen
Series: Marked by Fate [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1564228
Comments: 5
Kudos: 472





	Coffee

**Author's Note:**

> Soo...a few more ideas popped up in this universe...  
> I own nothing.

Barry shook his head to try to dispell the weird feeling. Why did everything feel like it just slowed down? He hugged Iris again and thanked her for the scarf. It had apperently been her who'd gotten it for him when he'd gone into his coma. He liked it. No one could see the Mark on his neck, which meant no uncomfortable questions because...well, his Mark looked...well violent. He'd have to come up with a cover story of some sort.

"Of course...God, I'm just so glad to see you're okay." She hugged him tight again.

"Thanks Iris." He hugged her back, then he saw it. He pulled back to get a better look at the Mark on her shoulder. "When did that happen?"

She blushed. "Couple months ago. Don't tell Dad, I haven't gotten around to telling him who it is yet."

"And it is?"

"I'll only tell if you tell me yours." Iris teased.

What could he say? That it was a vic that he'd helped to save? That could account for the fight and flight and why someone would grab his throat.... Barry opened his mouth. "It's complicated." He couldn't lie to Iris.

"It looked like it..." She sighed.

"Barry?"

Holy shit, that was fast. Barry turned and looked at Oliver. "Hey."

"You're awake." Oliver walked forward quickly. "You had Felicity and I worried."

"Felicity? You know Felicity?" Iris asked, eyeing Oliver.

"She's my friend." Oliver nodded.

Barry paused and looked at Iris. "How do YOU know Felicity?"

"She visited you a lot...while you were out." Iris shrugged. "Sweet girl, really awkward, kinda like you-an adorable nerd. I'm Iris, by the way, Barry's sister." She held out her hand.

"Oliver." He shook her hand with a gentle smile. "I see the resemblance." He teased.

"Well it's...complicated."

"I'm starting to guess that most things are with Barry." Oliver smiled.

"Usually." Iris nodded then squeezed Barry's shoulder. "You need to go sit down, I don't want you on your feet. Just rest. For waking up from a coma, you get a coffee on the house, okay?"

"Thanks, Iris." Barry smiled.

"Anything for you, Mr. Queen?" Iris asked as if she suddenly remembered she had a job to do.

"It's Oliver and just a black coffee please."

"You've got it." She blushed and walked away.

"She's...nice."

"She has a major crush on you." Barry laughed.

"I wasn't going to mention it." Olive chuckled.

"Over here." Barry led them to a table in the corner, away from everyone else. It was nice, a quiet bubble for them.

Oliver leaned over the table, his eyes examining Barry closely. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah. I feel great." Barry nodded. "You look really suspicious about that."

"You just got out of a coma, I'm pretty sure we're supposed to be having this meeting in a hospital setting. And yet you're walking and fine."

Barry's eyes narrowed. "Is there something wrong with that?"

"No, no. I don't mean that in a bad way. I just mean that...well I didn't think most people recovered so quickly." Oliver bit his lip then huffed out a sigh. "I'm shit at this. Hi, Barry, I'm really glad to see you awake and not in a hospital bed."

"I'll pretend we started there and say: Thank you, Oliver."

"You're welcome." Oliver said awkwardly.

Iris saved the day with their coffee.

Oliver thanked her and took a sip to try to cut through the awkwardness as she hugged Barry again and walked away.

"So, how were things while I was out?"

"Um...busy." Oliver summed up.

"You're alright though, right? And the present I made helps?"

"Yeah, better than what I was doing." Oliver nodded.

Barry smirked. "So you can admit to being wrong, that's nice to know."

"I did appologize to Felicity too." Oliver said quietly.

"Good. I like her. Is she okay?"

"Yeah." They were both obviously avoiding the big crazy topic in the room. Oliver took a deep breath. "It's been weird. My wrist has been itchy." Every time he drew back his bow he could see a sliver of it, a sliver of the Mark. Just a hint of red showing above his glove. He'd had to start wearing a braclet so he (and others) couldn't see it. The last thing he needed was the news demanding to know who Oliver Queen's soulmate was. And Oliver, well, he'd gotten distracted by it a time or two while fighting.

"Itchy? Did it throw your shot off?"

Oliver glowered at him.

Barry laughed and raised his hands. "Sorry, I had to ask, scientist and all." But Barry was still wearing a teasing smirk.

"My aim is fine." Oliver rolled his eyes. The Mark on his wrist didn't itch anymore, instead it almost felt like it was humming, full of electric energy. 

Someone tripped. Barry turned and watched as a woman moved in slow motion, her tray and mugs falling to the ground and shattering. Everything resumed at full speed and Barry shook his head and rubbed his temples. That was weird.

"Barry? You alright?" Oliver asked.

"Yeah, just thought I saw something." Barry shook his head.

"Maybe you shouldn't be up and about. You're probably tired."

"I've been sleeping for months."

"Coma and sleeping are two different things." Oliver laughed. "But whatever, you're the scientist."

Barry smiled. "It's just a weird day. So, elephant in the room?"

"We should, probably talk about it, yeah." Oliver agreed, taking a drink of his coffee.

"You...know any soulmates?"

"My parents weren't. My friend's parents were...but Mrs. Merlyn died when I was young. I don't really have much experience with...that."

Barry frowned. That meant he was the one who had experience. "Well, I know my parents were. They met at school, they were together for years before you know...anything. As far as I've seen it's just like anything else. My dad said it was like any other relationship, it has to be worked on, but the work is worth more, worth everything."

"I'm not exactly good with relationships." Oliver frowned.

"Me neither. I've never really had one. Spent most of my life crushing on someone who didn't like me. I'm kinda useless like that." Barry scoffed.

"I don't think you can top my level of bad at relationships." Oliver shook his head.

"I don't think it's a competition." Barry laughed. "So, start slow? Texting and coffee on occasion?"

Oliver took a moment. "I...with my night job...I'm not sure we should-"

"Don't start that. It's not like you're the only one with a dangerous job. And we do live six hundred miles apart so what're the odds that people connect two and two anyway?

Oliver opened his mouth, as if to fight. Then he closed it. "Fair point."

"Though, next time I'm coming to Starling. I still can't believe you got on a jet."

"You woke up after nine months. Kind of important."

Barry shook his head. His phone went off. It was a text from Joe.

'If you don't answer my call, I swear to God I'll kick your ass.'

"Oh, shit." Barry answered his phone before the end of the first ring. "Hey, Joe."

"Want to tell me why the hell your doctors told me you woke up and left without their permission and I haven't been called yet?" Joe demanded.

"Sorry, Joe, I should've texted you first."

"Damn straight! You should still be in bed, but if your skinny ass is up, you better be coming to say hi to me."

"Yeah, Joe. You're my next stop." Barry promised.

"Why the hell wasn't I your first stop, son?"

"It's..." Barry looked at Oliver. "A long story. Just send me your location, I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Mmhm... Mr. Always Late. Just meet me at CCPD, kid. See you soon."

"Yeah, Joe. See you soon." Barry bit his lip and hung up. "That was my...foster dad..."

"He sounded pretty upset."

"Only a little." Barry sighed.

"Go ahead."

"You flew all the way out here." Barry shook his head.

"It's okay. You just woke up, your family would love to spend time with you." Oliver smiled.

"I-"

"Barry, it's okay. Family is important. We can text and get coffee some other time." Oliver promised.

Barry sighed. "Okay. Well, my town, my treat."

"You don't have to do that."

"I do." Barry said. "Hey, Iris." He handed her the money to cover both their tabs when she walked over. "Don't let him pay for his drink."

"Okay." Iris laughed. "And don't argue with him, he's stubborn. Going to see dad?"

"Yeah, how much trouble am I in?" Barry cringed.

"Dead meat is what he called you." Iris frowned. "Sorry, Bear." She ruffled his hair. "And I thought we just got you back." Someone called her and she turned and waved. "We'll talk as soon as I'm off work, Barry. I'm so glad you're okay." She kissed his forehead and rushed off.

"Wonderful." Barry groaned. 

"Love you, talk soon about...everything." She said with a not-so-subtle nod to Oliver. Then she ran off.

"Sounds like you're in trouble. Should've rested."

"Don't you start too. You've never met Joe. He's scary." Barry stood and Oliver got up with him. "Are you sure you don't want to hang around? It just makes me feel bad."

"You're fine, Barry. I'm just glad to see you up and around again. It um, wasn't pleasent to see you in that bed." Oliver shivered and held out his hand. 

"Um...I'm more of a hugger."

"Uh, I'm not much of a hugger." Oliver said.

"Right, compromise." Barry took Oliver's hand. His fingers brushed Oliver's wrist and Barry felt a strange combination of anxiety and utter calm. He yanked his hand back and his eyes widened. "Whoa."

"What?" Oliver asked.

"For a moment, I thought I could feel your emotions." Barry shook his head. That was...rare. All soulmates left their Mark on each other at their first touch. But there were rare cases where soulmates could get a sense of how the other felt by touching the Marks that bound them together. It wasn't unheard of, but it wasn't common. "Do you always feel so alert?"

"Yeah." Oliver nodded and pulled his sleeve and bracelet down further to cover the red Mark on his wrist.

How could someone who always seemed to own every room he entered be so riddled with fear and anxiety? Barry wondered. "Um, that's weird."

"I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that." 

Barry nodded slowly. "I respect that." He understood how personal that had to be. Most people didn't like to show off their Marks and he wasn't going to touch Oliver's if he didn't want him to. "No more touching that... Sorry, I didn't think that would..."

"It's not your fault." Oliver nodded.

"I should go before Joe kills me."

"Wouldn't want that." Oliver agreed. "I'll text you?"

"Yeah, I'd like that." Barry grinned. "See you later." He wanted to hug the archer, but he'd honor the boundaries. "Bye."

"Bye, Barry."

-

Things got crazy and Barry didn't know what to do. He'd already failed at this whole hero thing. But...he had someone he could call.

Me:

Oliver, are you busy?

Oliver:

Not really. What's up? Are you okay?

Me:

No. But I can't explain over text.

Oliver:

Should I call?

Me:

No. Can you meet me here?

Barry attached a picture from the top of the building he was on.

Oliver:

How did you get to Starling so fast? Never mind. I'll meet you there.

Barry waited, sitting on the edge of the roof. He heard Oliver land on the roof and turned. "Hey."

"What's up?" Oliver walked forward and sat next to Barry. "You okay?"

"Yeah um...it's just a lot going on right now."

"Barry...?" Oliver had his, don't mess around face on. Even as he took off his mask and lowered his hood.

"I'm healthy. I'm just...different and I'm struggling. I thought you could help. You might be the only one who can."

"But you're okay?" Oliver had to make sure.

Barry nodded. "I told you about my mother when I was first here."

Oliver's face grew somber. "I remember."

"I told you I saw someone there, that I've been looking for the impossible."

"Mmhm. I've seen some crazy things, it wouldn't suprise me if you saw someone...with super human...something."

"Speed." Bary whispered. "I think I know what killed my mom." 

Oliver didn't know what to do or say, he reached out, but then lowered his hand.

"Can I?" Barry asked, reaching with his own hand.

Oliver nodded, then folded his fingers with Barry's, glad that it was his left hand so that Barry couldn't touch his Mark. He still didn't like the idea that Barry could feel his emotions if he touched the Mark, it seemed way too personal. "What did you find?"

"It found me." He shook his head. "When the lightning struck me, it changed me. We've figured out that the dark matter in the-" Barry saw the confusion in Oliver's face and shook his head. "Anyway, the energy from the accelerater changed people, gave them abilities. The heart rate monotir was going off because it couldn't keep up with my heart, not because it was stopping. I'm...fast now. I ran here, Oliver. I mean, look at my shoes."

Oliver looked at the end of Barry's dangling legs and saw scortch marks. "Jesus."

"It took me less than a half hour to get here. I ran six hundred miles, Oliver."

"Whoa."

"Yeah...and when I run...there's this lightning. Someone like me killed my mom. Someone who had these powers before the explosion, but I don't know how they got them." Then Barry tried to explain it, how he'd tried to become a hero, but failed.

Part of Oliver wanted to tell Barry to stop, to get out now while he could and try to live a normal life. But he knew Barry well enough to know he wouldn't. "Barry, when you do this you're gonna make mistakes. I've made mistakes, lots of them. But the good you do will far outweigh the bad." Oliver couldn't say that about himself, but he could say that about Barry. He could do good, better than Oliver could.

"But what if Wells is right? What if I'm not a hero? What if I'm just some guy who was struck by lightning?"

"I don't think that bolt of lightning struck you, Barry. I think it chose you."

"I'm just not sure I'm like you, Oliver." Barry shook his head and looked down at where his hand was in Oliver's. "I don't know if I can be some vigilante."

"You can be better. Because you can inspire people, in a way that I never could. Watching over your city like a guardian angel, making a difference saving people. In a flash."

A flash? Barry thought. A flash. He liked that.

"Take your own advice though. Wear a mask."

"I couldn't wear one like yours." Barry laughed. "The friction and speed would ruin it. I mean, I'm gonna have to buy a new pair of shoes just because of this run."

"Well...you're here, in Starling. Coffee?"

Barry laughed. "Coffee sounds nice. Got a location you like?"

"Yeah, it's right aound the corner." Oliver said, pointing toward it.

"Meet you there?" 

"Sure." Oliver smiled.

Barry got up and ran.

Oliver stared, wide-eyed for a moment and the Mark on his wrist hummed with just a little bit more energy. "Cool." He jumped off the roof himself, knocked an arrow and swung down to the ground.

**Author's Note:**

> Take care.


End file.
